Through it all, Blind Melon survives

Band plays on, from time to time, with new singer in Hoon's honor

September 02, 2011|By Allison Stewart, Special to the Tribune

Blind Melon's original lead singer Shannon Hoon died of a drug overdose in 1995, when he was 28. The band's remaining members struggled for years afterward — are still struggling, really, repeatedly coming apart and back together. In 2006 they recruited a singer, a Hoon manque named Travis Warren, who has left or been fired at least once and has now returned, though no one wants to say for how long.

These days, Blind Melon is almost a hobby: guitarist Rogers Stevens goes to law school on the East Coast; rhythm guitarist and co-founder Christopher Thorn plays in AWOLNATION and does production work. Thorn said the members' struggle to press onward isn't about money ("Everyone makes a lot more money not doing Blind Melon"), but about preserving Hoon's legacy, and their own.

Q: What's the state of Blind Melon these days? Are you officially back together?

A: (When Warren left the first time), we were tired, we were burnt out, we had a falling out with Travis, we felt like we had to stop. So we took some time off and all these rumors went flying around, that Travis left, that he got fired. ... I called Travis and said, "Hey, sorry, I don't even know what we were fighting about. ... Let's go play for the fans. We can work this out." And we did. ...We're conscious of people not getting burned out — that was part of the problem a few years ago.

Q: The idea of a new lead singer is probably an emotional subject, even all these years later.

A: It totally is. On top of that, we were dealing with addiction problems. That was one of the biggest things driving a wedge in between the band. Drug problems. So we had to work through some of that stuff. But everyone's healthy now. It is very emotional. I could never do what Travis is doing, stepping in like that. He's a very brave person to step onstage and say, "Yes, I'm not Shannon, but I want to sing songs for you people."

Travis loved Shannon more than anybody. He was the biggest fan. ... I want them to remember Shannon, I never want him to be forgotten. These songs are important to me, to the band and to the fans. (We figured), surely we could get over ourselves and play these songs for people.

Q: Was there ever friction because Travis wanted to be Travis and not Shannon?

A: No, no. That was definitely never — not at all. Travis is who he is, he's his own artist. ... We never said, "You should be more like this or that." He was putting his own personality into it, but he was influenced by Shannon, so it was never like, "Who is this guy singing these songs?" Shannon had a super-high voice, so no one can sing these songs. It's super-tough. We had done stuff with some other singers, but it never felt real. But Travis came in the first day, and there was a certain amount of pain you have to have lived in order to sing these songs. Because Shannon was a tortured dude, you know? He had a giant heart, but he also handled some crazy stuff, and Travis came from similar stuff, and when he sang those songs, you believed him.

Q: Were there times when you asked yourself, "Why is our lead singer karma so bad?"

A: I don't know if it's karma, but for me, I'm attracted to people who've been through a certain amount of s---. I'm not attracted to the guys who wear the baseball hats and have had the nice, wonderful lives. That doesn't speak to me personally. I think there's a certain amount of darkness along with the light that has to go with a guy who can sing Blind Melon songs. A guy who's happy and great and has no drug addictions, I think people would hear the songs and go, "I don't believe that." I'm attracted to crazy, insane people. ... I'm not interested in being a band with no drama.

Q: Is it hard not to wonder what things would have been like, had Shannon lived?

A: Of course. There's no way to not feel that every time I hear him on the radio. ... What would have happened? What would have been? It's frustrating to think about. I do it to myself, and I drive myself insane.

Q: How much does Shannon enter your daily life? Do you talk about him every day, or do you carry on like a normal band with Travis as your singer?

A: You mean when we're all together and hanging out as a band? All the time. It would be disrespectful to pretend he never existed. Every night onstage, Travis says to the audience, "Hey, look, I'd rather be watching Shannon tonight too." Travis is in the shoes of the fans. (He says), "If I had a choice, Shannon would be up here."

Q: I'm starting to feel sorry for Travis.

A: I don't feel sorry for Travis, I have incredible respect for the fact that he's brave enough to walk onstage in front of 1,500 people who all loved Shannon, and Travis has to come out and prove himself every night. ... Travis wants to do it. No one's forcing him to do it.